Panasonic Corp. recently announced plans to establish a company in Malaysia that will serve as its new solar manufacturing base. Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., to be set up in December, will operate a vertically integrated solar manufacturing facility producing wafers, cells and modules. Panasonic will invest ¥45 billion (~ $578 million) in the facility, which is expected to begin operation in December 2012 with an annual production capacity of 300 MW.

Panasonic reports it will sell its solar modules as an individual product, as well as part of a system combined with storage batteries. In addition, as part of its comprehensive solutions business, which is built on capacities brought together across the Panasonic group, the company will reportedly accelerate its solar business development globally.

For more information, visitwww.panasonic.net.